Background/Context: In response to state-level test-based accountability and the federal No Child Left Behind Act, school administrators increasingly view centralized curriculum and prescribed instructional strategies as the most direct means of increasing student performance. This movement toward standardization reduces teachers' autonomy and…

Describes the 1988 adoption of the Quality Core Curriculum (QCC) by the Georgia Board of Education. Discusses the QCC's role in defining and developing the study of geography within the social studies curriculum. Identifies and analyzes four as essential elements in a social studies program: knowledge, skills, attitudes/values, and social…

A collection of lessons is presented for teaching about the Federal Republic of Germany that were developed as a result of a study/travel seminar attended by 18 Georgia educators during the summer of 1989. Lessons are designed so that they may either be used individually, integrated into the curriculum at appropriate places, or be used as a…

This social studies guide is designed to serve as a companion document to the New York Framework and State Standards. The guide provides teachers with a wealth of information, strategies, learning experiences, sample assessments, research, and specific discipline materials to be used in the social studies curriculum development process within each…

The federal archeological community views public outreach programs as necessary for the continued preservation of archeological resources. This technical brief outlines ways to have archeology programs in the public schools. The efforts of the Arizona Archeological Council (AAC) to place archeological concepts and values within the context of the…

Now in its seventh year, the Illinois Youth Summit focuses on issues of violence affecting youth. On December 5, 2000, representatives from 21 high school classrooms across Illinois met to determine youth safety issues of greatest relevance to students across the state. These students identified three sources of violence to address at the 2001…

The Delaware Student Testing Program (DSTP) is designed to assess progress toward the Delaware Content Standards. Every year a certain number of items are removed from the test and then selected for public release. This booklet contains multiple-choice and short-answer (constructed response) items released from the 2000 or 2001 administration of…

Designed to aid teachers in the classroom, this guide provides a list of materials recently prepared for the kindergarten through grade 12 classroom by folklorists and other cultural studies specialists in closely related fields and includes a selected list of agencies with established commitments to folklife programming. After a definition of…

This document was designed to provide school administrators and professional staff of New York State with a model for evaluating the grade 7-8 social studies program. The program evaluation model outlines a step-by-step procedure for identifying questions for study, gathering and analyzing data, and developing a plan for program improvement. An…

This book concentrates on the functions and structure of state government and defines the constitutional responsibilities assigned to each of the three branches of North Dakota government. The media and special interest groups, both major influences affecting government policy, are also discussed. This book, designed for grades 8 through 12,…

Traces the evolution of the state geography standards in Rhode Island and gives a summary of the work accomplished thus far toward implementing the National Geography Standards. Profiles several state and local initiatives and discusses the Standards that they represent. (MJP)

Item specifications developed by the Arkansas Department of Education as part of the Minimum Performance Testing Program (MPT) appear in this document. Specifically, the social studies materials given to sixth-grade students on the MPT are included. The purpose of an item specification is to provide an overview of the general content and format of…

Developed for use in New York State elementary school social studies program evaluations, this guide outlines procedures and suggests the design of forms for identifying key questions, gathering and analyzing relevant data, and developing plans for program improvements. It is intended to assess strengths and weaknesses within current programs as a…

Item specifications developed by the Arkansas Department of Education as part of the Minimum Performance Testing Program (MPT) appear in this document. Specifically, the social studies materials given to eighth-grade students on the MPT are reviewed. The purpose of an item specification is to provide an overview of the general content and format…

Social studies fairs provide opportunities for citizenship education and for involvement in activities that emphasize thinking and inquiry skills. The Louisiana local, regional, and state social studies fairs present exhibitions of projects prepared by elementary and secondary school students to portray applications of basic principles,…